a. Field of Invention
The invention relates generally to seatbelts for automobiles or the like, and more particularly, to an ergonomic seatbelt for improved seatbelt safety and comfort during general use and in the event of seatbelt tensioning during a crash.
b. Description of Related Art
Conventional seatbelts are wide and flat and are generally composed of woven vinyl. Upon a high speed crash, the rough edges of wide and flat seatbelts are likely to cut into the user of the seatbelt. Furthermore, wide and flat seatbelts are likely to cause discomfort at points of contact to users of various sizes. Attempts have been made to provide increased user comfort, but significant disadvantages to these modified seatbelts remain. Modified seatbelts may comprise inflatable seatbelts and/or seatbelt covers.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,217,188 to Takeuchi, as illustrated in FIG. 5 discloses an inflatable seatbelt having a belt body 11, cushion layer 13, and cover 12. A gas may be introduced into belt body 11, altering the belt away from the wide and flat shape for user comfort. The cushion layer 13 and cover 12 additionally improve the feel of the inflatable belt.
One exemplary drawback of Takeuchi is that multiple components, namely the cushion layer 13 and cover 12, are necessary to improve the comfort and feel of the belt, thereby requiring greater manufacturing costs and time. Additionally, belt body 11 requires inflation to provide comfort and is susceptible to breakage/puncture with repetitive use. The present invention achieves improved comfort and safety without being configured to inflate, thereby having greater longevity of use, requiring fewer raw materials, and lowering manufacturing costs.
The inventors herein have recognized a need for an ergonomic seatbelt and method of forming an ergonomic seatbelt for improved safety and comfort that will minimize and/or eliminate the above-identified deficiencies. It would be beneficial to provide a seatbelt which provides comfort to users of various sizes and is capable of long term use without requiring multiple components or inflation, thereby reducing cost and simplifying the manufacturing process of the seatbelt.